Transformation Of Indian Cinema

The period often correlated with modern Indian cinema is supposed to have begun in 1970’s when commercial cinema came forth as a means of recreation for the general public and this continues with the contemporary Indian cinema today. Although directors like Govind Nihilani, Shyam Benegal and others kept the flame of artistic movies alive, the commercial cinema surpassed the artistic cinema by leaps and bounds.

The influence of mainstream movie industry kept on increasing in 1980s and 1990s. With the release of movies like Tezaab, Maine Pyaar Kiya, Kayamat se Kayamat Tak and Chandni in 1980’s and Darr, Baazigar and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in 1990’s, the trend of romantic cinema held ground. Such romantic movies told emotional love stories of young couples who after many adversities get married and stay happily ever after. Some of these romantic movies were very big hits and broke box office records.

The trend of romantic Bollywood movies continued in late 1990’s and early 2000’s with the release of hugely popular movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Interestingly, the art cinema re-emerged by late 1990s as many movies including Traffic Signal, Chandni Bar and Satya received good critic reviews. These modern Indian movies were a refreshing change at the time when uninspired romantics were the order of the day and they proved to be memorable experience for the viewers.

Numerous movies with big budgets including Veer and Mein aur Mrs Khanna were not well received, and surprisingly, DevD and other small budget movies have done well. This has lead to fresh and unique stories being favored among the Bollywood producers and directors.

The present trend in the Indian movie industry is to try new themes and storylines. Movies like Three Idiots and My Name is Khan have experimented with new subjects and have been hugely successful. The modern Hindi movies are bringing in a fresh new experimental wave of cinema, which is being more than welcomed by the Indian cinema audience.